Long-vanished beavers found living wild in UK's Avon catchment
September 29, 2021, 5:48 am

Long-vanished beavers found living wild in UK's Avon catchment

Beavers in the Wild

The Natonal News reported, beavers have been found living wild in the Avon catchment in the Bristol and Bath area, as the long-vanished mammal continues its comeback to England.

Avon Wildlife Trust said monitoring had revealed three generations of beavers in the catchment, including three babies, or kits, born this year.

The wildlife charity said, it marks the return of the species to the area after 400 years and showed they were expanding their range naturally.

Beavers are natural engineers that restore wetland habitats through building dams and felling trees, slowing, storing and filtering water in the landscape, which attracts other wildlife and reduces flooding downstream.

According to The National News, the species was hunted to extinction in Britain in the 16th century for fur, glands and meat.

But beavers are returning to England and are living wild on the River Otter in Devon, the site of a successful official trial reintroduction, and on other rivers due to illegal releases or escapes.

They have also been introduced into enclosures in some English counties to help manage flooding and create a habitat for other wildlife.

Government plans are set to give them legal protection in England, and ministers are consulting on applications to release them into the wild under certain criteria.

“A new sighting of wild beavers is extremely significant," said Amy Coulthard, director of nature recovery at Avon Wildlife Trust.

“Beavers are a keystone species and they have an extraordinary ability to change habitats to suit their needs while creating ecosystems for other species to thrive.

“The presence of this beaver population will support other wildlife and help us to tackle the ecological emergency.”

Ms Coulthard said the origins of the beavers were a mystery, with possibilities including a release that occurred in the early 2000s on the Somerset-Avon border, or even the well-known wild population in Devon.

She said: “We started receiving sightings two years ago, and our subsequent monitoring told us there are three generations of beavers living on the riverbank."

“This suggests they have been happily coexisting alongside humans for some years.”

Avon Wildlife Trust has launched a "30 by 30" appeal to raise £30,000 ($40,605) to help ensure at least 30 per cent of land and sea is protected for wildlife.

It said money raised would go towards nature recovery projects such as the Avon beavers and the newly appointed beaver management group of various organisations.

The group will monitor the creatures and work with landowners in the catchment to manage the effects of the animals and maximise the benefits they can bring.

Ms Coulthard said the plan was to come up with a comprehensive management strategy for the animals, and that adjustments made to help them, such as creating space around water courses, could help other wildlife, improve water quality and reduce flooding.

She called on government support for landowners to help them and compensate them for any changes that needed to be made.

Source: thenationalnews

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.